Identifying the cubic centimetre as a unit of measuring volume
In groups of five:
- Use plasticine or clay to make one centimetre cube such as shown below.
- Measure the sides of the cube to confirm that the length of the sides are 1 cm each. What is the volume of the cube?
cm3
- Discuss and share your results with other groups.
- Make more 1 cm cubes.
Note
- A cube of sides 1 cm is called a one centimetre cube (1 cm cube).
- The space occupied by the 1 cm cube is its volume.
- The volume of a 1 cm cube is one cubic centimetre (cm3).
- One cubic centimetre (cm3) is a unit of measuring volume.
Volume of a cube by counting 1 cm cubes
In groups of five:
- Use 1 cm cubes to form a larger cube as shown
- Count the number of the 1 cm cubes used to make the larger cube.
cubes
- Discuss:
- The volume of 1 cm cube in cm3.
cm3 - The volume of the larger cube in cm3.
cm3
What do you notice?
- The volume of 1 cm cube in cm3.
- Make other cubes with 1 cm cubes and find their volumes.
- Discuss and share your results with other groups.
Note
The volume of the larger cube is the total number of the 1 cm cubes.
Example 1
Find the volume in cm3 of the cube shown.
- The number of 1 cm cube in the one layer is 16.
- The number of layers are 4.
- Total number of 1 cm cubes is 16 × 4 = 64 cubes
- Volume = 64 cm3
Exercise B
1. cm3
2. cm3
3. cm3
4. cm3
Volume of cuboids using 1 cm cubes by counting
In groups of five:
- Arrange 1 cm cubes to form a layer of a cuboid as shown.
- Count the number of 1 cm cubes that make the layer.
cubes - Place another layer of 1 cm cubes on top of the first layer to form a cuboid as shown.
- Count the number of 1 cm cubes in the 2nd layer.
cubes- What is the total number of 1 cm cubes in the cuboids?
cubes - What is the volume in cubic centimetres (cm3) of the cuboid?
cm3
- What is the total number of 1 cm cubes in the cuboids?
- Make other cuboids using 1 cm cubes. Find the volume of the cuboids by counting.
- Discuss and share your results with other groups.
Example 2
Find the volume, in cm3, of the cuboid shown by counting.
- There are 4 layers of 1 cm cubes.
- Each layer has 8 one cm cubes.
- Number of 1 cm cubes is 8 × 4 = 32.
- Volume = 32 × 1 cm3 = 32 cm3.